States

Melonie Jones

Brandon Geisler studied in the HVAC program at Laramie County Community College, a public institution in Wyoming. Ninety-five percent of students in the state attend public colleges.

Total state support for higher education rose by 5.7 percent from the 2013 to the 2014 fiscal years. But as they increased appropriations, legislators sought ways to improve access to public institutions and make sure students graduate.